Pacific Repertory Theatre Explained

The Pacific Repertory Theatre, originally known as the GroveMont Theatre, is a non-profit year-round theatre company based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States. The company presents an annual season of ten to twelve productions, both stage plays and musicals.

Pacific Repertory Theatre was founded in 1982 by Carmel-by-the-Sea resident Stephen Moorer, who served as its artistic director from 1983 to 2008 and has been its executive director since 2009. Kenneth Kelleher has been artistic director since 2008. The company's main venues are Carmel's Golden Bough Playhouse and the outdoor Forest Theater. In 1990, the company reactivated the annual Carmel Shakespeare Festival. The company gained attention for its series of Shakespeare plays titled Royal Blood: The Rise and Fall of Kings produced over the course of four summers beginning in 2001. This series included the first productions of Edward III and Thomas of Woodstock in the US.

History

Overview

Pacific Repertory Theatre (PacRep) is a professional theatre company located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It is the only professional theatre company located on the Monterey Peninsula. It is a member of the League of Resident Theatres and presents a year-round season of plays and musicals. The company stages its productions in three Carmel theatres: the Golden Bough Playhouse, the Circle Theatre, and the Forest Theater.[1]

PacRep was founded in 1982 as GroveMont Theatre by Carmel-by-the-Sea resident Stephen Moorer, who served as its artistic director from 1983 to 2008 and has been its executive director since 2009.[2] [3] In the 1980s, organization struggled to survive, with a $4,500 annual budget and no permanent place to perform. It was then governed by a board made up of six friends. The organization's name changed to Pacific Repertory Theatre in 1994 when the company acquired the site of the Golden Bough Playhouse in downtown Carmel, and announced plans to establish a professional theatre for the region.[4] In 2001, to facilitate an appearance by Olympia Dukakis and Louis Zorich in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard,[5] [6] the company entered into an agreement with Actors' Equity Association.[7] [8] It is a member of the League of Resident Theatres.

The European Foundation for Quality Management studied PacRep in a case study on financing for non-profit organizations which was originally published in 2006 in Above the Clouds: A Guide to Trends Changing the Way We Work: a Project, and again in that works 2017 re-publication by Routledge. The Brookings Institution published a case study of PacRep as one of several in social entrepreneurship in the 2008 book The Search for Social Entrepreneurship.

In 2008, PacRep named Kenneth Kelleher as artistic director and Moorer as executive director.[9] For the 2009 season, Kelleher directed David Hare's The Blue Room, an adaptation of La Ronde,[10] along with Man of La Mancha, Hamlet and As You Like It.[11]

Between September 2021 and September 2022, 14 out of 20 board members of the PacRep resigned. Disagreements over construction resulted in a board motion to terminate Moorer as executive director, but a vote was never taken. After this motion, board members told a reporter they had been threatened with lawsuits and that this had led to the mass resignation; Moorer denied making any threats.

Forest Theater and Carmel Shakespeare Festival

At the request of the Carmel Cultural Commission, PacRep began producing shows in 1984 at the outdoor Forest Theater, staging Robinson Jeffers' Medea.[12] In 1990, the company reactivated the old Carmel Shakespeare Festival (CSF) of the 1940s, playing in repertory at the Forest, Golden Bough, and Circle theatres, amidst growing interest in the Shakespeare Authorship Question. Since that time, the company has continued to stage productions at the Forest Theater every September and October, expanding into August by the 1990s.[13] In 2000, it became the only professional theater company in residence at the Forest Theater.[14] CSF has the largest budget of any of the California Shakespeare festivals. In 2004 PacRep's artistic director Stephen Moorer was the recipient of the "Award of Artistic Excellence for Distinguished Achievements in the Advancement of Shakespearean Drama" at the eighth annual Edward de Vere Studies Conference at Concordia University.[15]

Following the closure of the 50-year-old Children's Experimental Theater in 2011, the City of Carmel awarded the year-round lease of the indoor Forest Theater to PacRep for its educational program, the School of Dramatic Arts.[16] [17] In early 2022, the city of Carmel entered into a lease with PacRep for the nonprofit to manage the venue for the next five years, with a five-year renewal option;[18] the company continues to mount its own productions there, alongside those of other arts organizations, and holds civic events.[19] [20]

Some of the plays staged at the CSF include Romeo and Juliet (1991; 1997),[13] [21] Henry V (1994),[22] Julius Caesar (1994),[22] The Taming of the Shrew (1995),[23] The Merchant of Venice (1995),[23] Cymbeline (1996),[24] Henry IV, Part 1 (1996),[25] Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1996),[26] Coriolanus (1997),[13] [27] Antony and Cleopatra (1998),[28] Much Ado About Nothing (1998),[28] King Lear (1999), The Merry Wives of Windsor (1999),[29] A Midsummer Night's Dream (2000[30] and 2007),[31] The Winter's Tale (2002),[32] Macbeth (2007),[31] Troilus and Cressida (2008), and The Comedy of Errors (2008).[33] In 1999 the CSF included a revival of Lee Blessing's Fortinbras;[34] a play set immediately following the events of Hamlet.[35]

Productions

In 1997 PacRep produced a revival of Jean Anouilh's rarely performed Ardèle.[36] According to theatre scholar Amnon Kabatchnik, "the first major revival of Volpone in the twenty-first century was produced by the Pacific Repertory Theatre" in September 2000.

The company gained wider attention for its series of Shakespeare plays titled Royal Blood: The Rise and Fall of Kings. Over the course of four summers beginning in 2001, it presented all of Shakespeare's histories in chronological order.[37] [38] This included the first staging in the United States of the play Edward III (2001); the potential authorship of the play by Shakespeare is a subject of scholarly debate. PacRep also presented the first American production of Thomas of Woodstock in 2001; another play controversially suggested as being authored by Shakespeare.[39] [40] The decision to stage these plays alongside Richard II led the Shakespeare Oxford Society to hold its 25th annual conference in Carmel, California, so that conference members could also attend performances of these rarely staged works.[41] [42]

In 2003 PacRep continued its Royal Blood play series with Part 1 and Part 2 of Shakespeare's Henry VI trilogy of plays.[43] That same year the company presented a revival of Euripides' Medea, which was the final production staged by director Joseph Chaikin before his death later that year.[44] Also in 2003, the company revived ;[45] a production that it repeated in 2004.[46] In 2008, PacRep premiered Curtain Call by Gary Goldstein, who had won the Hyperion Playwriting Competition; a national competition instituted by PacRep.[47] [48] Some other plays produced by the company include Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (2006),[49] Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage (2012),[50] and Cyrano de Bergerac (2017).[51]

Musicals produced by the company include Oliver! (1997; 2002),[13] [52] High School Musical on Stage!,[53] Fiddler on the Roof (2012),[54] The Full Monty (2014),[55] (2016),[56] Shrek the Musical (2018),[57] Chicago (2019),[58] Mary Poppins (2022),[59] and The Addams Family (2023).[60] The company staged the comic opera The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan in 2015.[61]

In 2020 the second phase of a three million dollar upgrade to the Golden Bough Playhouse was begun.[62] In 2024 the newly renovated playhouse re-opened with a PacRep production of Selina Fillinger's farce .[63] [64] Other 2024 productions included the musical 9 to 5[65] and Kate Hamill's stage adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.[66]

Citations

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Top Ten Artists-Colonies . Coastal Living Magazine. July 2007.
  2. News: It's not a horror movie, but dark empty houses are haunting PacRep. Dennis Taylor. May 1, 2020. The Carmel Pine Cone. 10A.
  3. News: Popęda . Agata . October 27, 2022 . A rift over management at Carmel theater nonprofit PacRep leads to an exodus of board members. . live . https://archive.today/20241113041342/https://www.montereycountynow.com/entertainment/art/a-rift-over-management-at-carmel-theater-nonprofit-pacrep-leads-to-an-exodus-of-board/article_75c8586c-557c-11ed-a62f-c7e6483feae5.html . November 13, 2024 . Monterey County Weekly.
  4. News: The Golden Bough Playhouse gets a theatrical remodel . Jeanette Bent . Scott Rates . KION-TV. May 20, 2024.
  5. News: Hurwitt . Robert . An Orchard with shallow roots / Carmel production short on poignancy . 1 November 2024 . . 17 July 2001.
  6. News: Bahney . Anna . Summer Festivals; A Wealth of Cultural Nuggets Waiting to Be Mined . 1 November 2024 . . 6 May 2001.
  7. Web site: Pac Rep Throws a Bash Celebrating 20 Years of Community Theater and its New Life as a Professional Company: The Second Act. Wilbur. Brett. April 25, 2002. Monterey County Weekly. https://archive.today/20180314132313/http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/local_news/article_a18df991-ca3a-53fe-a19f-d009ce27e2a7.html. March 14, 2018. live . July 22, 2009.
  8. Web site: The Pacific Repertory Theatre enters a new era with its star-studded production of The Cherry Orchard. Thurman. Chuck. July 12, 2001. Monterey County Weekly. https://archive.today/20180314133217/http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/local_news/article_9290ddfd-0265-502f-850a-887dff73cba7.html . March 14, 2018. live. July 23, 2009.
  9. News: For Bay Area theater, change at the top . 10 November 2008 . . San Francisco Chronicle . 2008-02-24 . Robert . Hurwitt . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090418175810/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2008%2F02%2F24%2FPKB0V0L10.DTL&feed=rss.entertainment . 18 April 2009 .
  10. Craggs, Matthew. "A Midsummer Night's Preview", Santa Cruz Weekly, May 27, 2009
  11. Web site: Pac Rep continues a tradition of great storytelling for the 2009 season . Monterey Herald . March 12, 2009. November 13, 2024. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200803091134/https://www.montereyherald.com/2009/03/12/pac-rep-continues-a-tradition-of-great-storytelling-for-the-2009-season/. August 3, 2020.
  12. Web site: Spotlight On Carmel: Stephen Moorer . Blum. Terry. January 2002. Monterey County Theatre Alliance . https://web.archive.org/web/20081004235920/http://www.mctaweb.org/spotlight/02/Jan02_StephenMoorer/stephen.html . October 4, 2008. unfit. July 20, 2009.
  13. Mckinley, Jesse. "Carmel", The New York Times, July 6, 1997
  14. Web site: Pacific Repertory Theatre. https://web.archive.org/web/20080926150630/http://www.theatrebayarea.org/programs/dir_dtl.jsp?id=915 . 2008-09-26 .
  15. News: Moorer honored for Shakespearean drama. The Salinas Californian. May 8, 2004 . A7. .
  16. News: Brownfield . Mary . February 4, 2011 . PacRep beats out Guild for chance to lease kids' theater . The Carmel Pine Cone . 97 . 5 . 2A, 28A . 2012-02-07 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120322070901/http://www.pineconearchive.com/110204PCA.pdf . March 22, 2012 .
  17. News: Delsol . Christine . Forest Theater a 'bohemian grove' for Shakespeare fans . 1 November 2024 . San Francisco Gate. 2 August 2011.
  18. News: Popęda . Agata . Carmel set to finally sign a lease with PacRep for the Forest Theater. . 8 October 2022 . Monterey County Weekly . 28 February 2022.
  19. News: Forest Theater in Carmel reopens . Conrad . Caitlin . 2016-06-24. KSBW. 2018-08-28.
  20. News: Herrera . James . Music in the Forest Concert Series to kick off with VTC fundraiser for its Music Therapy Room . 10 September 2023 . . 3 April 2023.
  21. Events: West. 3. Shakespeare Bulletin. Lafayette College. James P.. Lusardi. June. Schlueter. 9. 3. Summer 1991 . 44657928.
  22. 661, 669 . Bibliography: World Shakespeare Bibliography 1994. James L. . Harner . Harrison T. . Meserole . Priscilla J.. Letterman. Shakespeare Quarterly. Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 46. 5. 1994. 44990748 . Harner . James L. . Meserole . Harrison T. . Letterman . Priscilla J. .
  23. 3. Events: West. . Lafayette College. James P.. Lusardi. June. Schlueter. 13 . 2 . Spring 1995. 26353410 .
  24. Cymbeline . Shakespeare Quarterly. Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 48. 5 . 1996 . 621. 2871334 . Barbara A.. Mowat. Paster. Gail Kern.
  25. Barbara A.. Mowat. Paster . Gail Kern. 645. 1 Henry IV. . Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 48 . 5 . 1996 . 2871336 .
  26. Pericles. Shakespeare Quarterly. Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 48. 5. 1996. 721–723. 2871357 . Barbara A.. Mowat. Paster. Gail Kern.
  27. 601. Individual Works. Barbara A.. Mowat. Paster. Gail Kern. . Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 49 . 5 . 1997 . 2902229 .
  28. News: Events: West. Shakespeare Bulletin. Lafayette College. James P.. Lusardi. June. Schlueter. 16 . 3 . Summer 1998 . 3 . 26353270 .
  29. 719 . Barbara A.. Mowat. Paster. Gail Kern. Individual Works . Shakespeare Quarterly. Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 51. 5. 1999. 2902177 .
  30. Studies of Particular Works. 765–766. 2000. Barbara A.. Mowat. Paster. Gail Kern. . Folger Shakespeare Library / George Washington University Press. 52. 5. 3648719 .
  31. News: A Whole Lotta Shakespeare Going On. Karen. D'Souza. . June 21, 2007. 1. .
  32. Lafayette College. James P.. Lusardi. June. Schlueter . Events: West . Shakespeare Bulletin. 20. 3. Summer 2002. 3. 26350218 .
  33. News: A carefree, hopeful Shakespeare summer . Robert . Hurwitt. May 25, 2008 . San Francisco Gate.
  34. Events: West . Shakespeare Bulletin. 17. 3. Summer 1999. 3. Lafayette College. 26355692 . James P.. Lusardi . June . Schlueter.
  35. Web site: La Jolla Fortinbras Played for Laughs. Drake. Sylvie. . 25 June 1991. 7 January 2018.
  36. News: Ardele. Variety. August 15, 1997 . Julio. Martinez.
  37. News: My Kingdom for a Horse. American Theatre. 18. 6. 6. Wren. Celia. July 2001. .
  38. Web site: Stephen Moorer is the merrier as he leads Pacific Repertory Theatre into the most ambitious phase of its history: Director's Notes: On A Role. Shilstone-Laurent. Mark. March 1, 2001 . . https://archive.today/20180314141539/http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/news/local_news/article_dd828bf7-1f09-57d0-aacf-63d9dc98e5e2.html. March 14, 2018. live. March 14, 2018.
  39. Lost Shakespeare Lost Again: CA Thomas of Woodstock, Edward III Ends U.S. Debut Oct. 1. Playbill. October 14, 2001. Christine. Ehren.
  40. News: Shakespeare or Not Shakespeare? Thomas of Woodstock Has U.S. Debut Sept. 7-Oct. 14 in CA. . September 7, 2001 . Christine. Ehren.
  41. 25th Annual Conference to be held in Carmel, California. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter. Winter 2001. 4. 36. 4. William . Boyle.
  42. Moorerís Marathon, or three plays in one day: Ambitious program schedule in Carmel delivers history . Shakespeare Matters. Shakespeare Fellowship. 1. 2. Chuck. Berney. Winter 2002. 30–31.
  43. News: A plenitude of summer Shakespeare / Bay Area productions reflect every phase of most celebrated playwright's career. Hurwitt. Robert. San Francisco Chronicle. May 25, 2003. 11. .
  44. 9. Joseph Chaikin: 1953-2003. Richard. Schechner. TDR: The Drama Review. Winter 2003. 47. 4. 4488504 .
  45. News: Pac Rep rocks Buddy Holly show. Leyde. Tom. . May 15, 2003. X8. .
  46. News: Oh, boy, Buddy rocks best as nostalgia concert. Hurwitt. Robert. San Francisco Chronicle. June 11, 2004. E1. .
  47. News: "Curtain Call" asks us to consider when it"s time to go. Kathryn . Petruccelli . November 6, 2008. Monterey Herald.
  48. News: "Curtain Call" offers solid performances, food for thought. Barbara Rose. Shuler. November 13, 2008. .
  49. News: Theater Beat; Salesman a Bit Overwrought. F. Kathleen . Foley. Los Angeles Times. June 23, 2006. E26. .
  50. News: PacRep gives Yasmina Reza's layered God of Carnage the depth it deserves. Fight Within a Fight. Walter. Ryce . June 7, 2012. Monterey County Weekly.
  51. News: PacRep's Stephen Moorer gives his all in new production of Cyrano. Monterey Herald. October 4, 2017 .
  52. News: Pac Rep's 'Oliver!'. Leyde. Tom. The Salinas Californian. August 29, 2002. X9. .
  53. News: Pacific Repertory Theatre presents the West Coast premiere of "High School Musical". January 15, 2009. Lily. Dayton. Monterey Herald.
  54. News: Fiddlin Around: Pacific Repertory Theatre opens its 2012 season with family musical, "Fiddler on the Roof". April 25, 2012. Lily. Dayton. .
  55. News: Theater preview: PacRep revives 'Full Monty' with most of original cast. November 17, 2014. Mark. Laure. Monterey Herald.
  56. News: Heathers the Musical at PacRep proudly earns R rating . Monterey County Weekly. Walter. Ryce. February 18, 2016.
  57. News: Theater review: PacRep"s "Shrek the Musical" a whimsical, visual treat. September 11, 2018. Barbara Rose. Shuler. Monterey Herald.
  58. News: Chicago Closes PacRep Year in Style . . December 6, 2019 . Barbara Rose. Shuler.
  59. News: Mary Poppins has successful landing in Carmel. Monterey Herald. August 17, 2022. Barbara Rose. Shuler.
  60. News: They say that all happy families are alike, and the Addams family is the exception that proves the rule. . Agata . Popęda . August 17, 2023 . Monterey County Weekly.
  61. News: PacRep's 'Pirates of Penzance' adds modern flair. February 11, 2015. Monterey Herald. Dodie. Barkley.
  62. News: PacRep to launch $3 million remodel of Carmel's Golden Bough. November 5, 2020. Dennis L.. Taylor. Monterey Herald.
  63. Shuler, Barbara Rose. "A comedy to welcome back Golden Bough", Monterey Herald, September 18, 2024, via MSN
  64. News: Golden Bough reopens with a comedic slap at contemporary politics. Agata. Popęda. September 19, 2024. Monterey County Weekly.
  65. News: PacRep nears completion of its Golden Bough Playhouse remodel. Agata. Popęda. June 19, 2024. Monterey County Weekly.
  66. News: Hot Picks 10.03.24. October 23, 2024. Monterey County Weekly.

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